Machine for applying pressure sensitive tape to conductors



Nov. 21, 1950 J. l. ENTWISTLE 2,530,655

ucanm Fon Puma PRESSURE SENSITIVE TAPE To connuc'rons FIGLI.

INVENTOR.

JAMES L. ENTWISTLE ATTORNEY Nov. 2l, 1950 J. l. ENTwlsTLE 2,530,655

MACHINE FOR APPLYING PRESSURE SENSITIVE Tm: 'ro connuc'rons Filed April4, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

JAMES L. ENTWISTLE BY @All KM l ATToRNfY J. L. ENTwls'rLE 2,530,655MACHINE FOR APPLYING PRESSURE SENSITIVE TAPE T0 CONDUCTORS Nov. 2l, 19503 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 4, 1946 FIG.

FIG. 7.

INVENTOR.

JA'M ES l.. ENTWISTLE "PM Kwam@ ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 21, 1950 MACHINEFOR APPLYING PRESSURE SENSI- TIVE TAPE T0 CONDUCTORS James L. Entwlstle,Cranston, B. I., aaslgnor to James L. Entwlstle Co., Pawtucket, B. I., apartnership consisting of Margherita C. Entwistle and James L. EntwlatlcApplication April 4, 1946, Serial No. 659,634

9 Claims. (Cl. 21S-29) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in labeling machines and particularly in labeling machinesfor electric cords, cables. wires and the like. which hereinafter willbe referred to by the general name of conductor.

In order to identify the manufacturer and to certify successful testingof conductors, it is desirable to apply suitable labels at predeterminedpoints on the conductor. The labels now used i'or this purpose are on ametallic backing which is cut into suitable lengths and bent around thefinished conductor, e. g. one .label for every five feet of conductor.Such labels may drop of! during handling of the conductors; theirinitial cost and application are expensive; they cannot be appliedduring the process of manufacturing the conductor; and ragged edges thatare likely to be formed in the metal backing often injure insulationprovided around the conductor.

The object of the present invention is a machine and a method forlabeling conductors at predetermined points during any stage of theprocess of manufacture without injuring the insulation or slowing downthe manufacturing process. The labels applied according to the presentinvention cannot accidentally fall ott and they will not be in the waywhen the finished conductor is Dakased.

With these objects in view, the symbols of the label are printed orotherwise applied to successive lengths of a tape or web of suitablewidth. The tape has one surface coated with normally tach,pressure-sensitive adhesive. Such tape when wound into a coil pullsoil.r clean. Preferably. though not necessarily, the tape is opaque.

As the tape is pulled olf the coil. a length containing the symbolsrepresenting one label is severed and pressed with its tacky sideagainst the conductor so that parts of the label protrude therefrom. Theconductor travels longitudinally through the machine and the protrudingparts of the label are pressed or wiped around it so as to form a sleevewhich encircles the conductor once or even several times. 0n largediameter conductors the label may not reach all around to form acomplete sleeve.

The forming of the label around the conductor is preferably accomplishedby a plurality of spiral wipers. These are sections of a metal strip soshaped and mounted as to press the protruding portion of the labeluniformly against the traveling conductor. The wipers are so arrangedthat one or more wipe one protruding portion of the label in onedirection and one or more wipe the 2 other. protruding portion of thelabel in the other direction around the conductor.

According to one feature of the invention, the tape is unwound from aroll and carried into position by a series of evenly spaced rotatingknives. When in position, one label is severed from the tape by thepressure of a cylinder against a knife. and a grooved miler pushes thelabel clear of the knives onto the conductor.

These and other features of the invention will more clearly appear fromthe appended claims. the following detailed description and thedrawings, in which:

Fig. l is an elevated side view of the machine;

Fig. la is a transverse section showing a label immediately afterbeing'applied to the conductor;

Fig. lb is a transverse section of the nrst stage of wiping the label;

` unit.

Fig. 1c is a transverse section of the second stage of wiping the label;

Fig. ld is a transverse section of the third stage of wiping the label;

Fig. le is a transverse section oi the fourth stage of wiping the label;y

Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the conductor driving the pulleys and thecam action which deposits the labels;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the lines 3,-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is asection on hues l-I of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan view on the lines 5 5 of Fig. 3 of a detail of thelabel severing device;

Fig. 6 is a pian view of the third wiping unit: and

Fig. I is a front elevation of the third wiping A conductor I is pulledlongitudinally over pulleys 2 and 3 through the machine by means of apower driven drum 4 on which the conductor I is wound. The machine restson a table 5 carrying at one end the pulleys 2 and 3 which rotate in thedirection of the arrows (Fig. 2) and drive through a belt 6 anotherpulley 1. Conductor I runs from one groove of pulley 2 around pulley 3and then through a second groove of pulley 2 before entering one end ofthe machine.

The left hand portion of the machine (Fig. l) comprises a largecylindrical casting 8 having several brackets. It is in this portion ofthe machine that' the labels are applied to conductor I or to any otherlike object. Although the machine will be described as applying labelsto a conductor it should be understood that the machine, especially theleft hand portion, may be 129 PPly labels to many objects other thanconductors. A shaft i l (Fig. 3) is journaled in brackets 9 and IG (Fig.3) of casting S and carries at one end pulley 1, through which it isrotated in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 3). A beveled gear i2carried on shaft il meshes with crown gear |3 mounted on one end ofshaft I4 (Fig. 4). At its other end (Fig. 4) shaft I4 carries a gear |5which rotates a Geneva gear |6 by means of projections I1 in thedirection of the arrow (Fig. 3). The intermittent rotary movement ofGeneva gear I6 is transmitted to small gear |8 mounted on the same shaftas gear I8 but on the other side of I6 from that engaged by projections|1. Gear |8 meshes with a larger gear I9 which is mounted on shaft 2|journaled in a bracket of the casting 8. Gear I9 engages gear teeth 22aformed in one end of larger. cylinder 22 through which conductor passesas it leaves pulley 2.

Large cylinder 22 rotates in casting 8 in the direction of the arrow(Fig. 3) and its right-hand end (Fig. 1) projecting from casting 8carries a plurality of evenly spaced knives 23. While the elements 23will be referred to as knives, they are, as will clearly appear from thedescription of the operation, not used to cut lengths of label in themanner usually associated with knives. The knives 23 are merely edgesagainst which the label is borne so as to insure the severing thereof bypressure of a hard-surfaced cylinder 38. The space between knives 23 isequal to the length of one label to be applied to conductor i. rIheblades of the knives 23 are triangularly shaped and sufficiently longwith respect to the width of the tape so that the tape will not overhangthe knives.

The labels are printed on a web or tape 24 which is fed from a roll 25supported above the machine on an arm 26 extending fromthe casting 8.The tape is preferably made of cellulose acetate having a pressuresensitive adhesive coating. As it is pulled olf the roll 25 it firstengages a small roller 21 attached to a pivoted arm 28 which is pressedupward by a spring 29. Nut 30 is provided to adjust .the tension ofspring 29.

The tape 24 next engages with its slick side a roller 3| mounted on thefree end of rocker arm 32 which is pivotally mounted at 33 on thebracket 2G. A spring 34, which is adjustable by a. nut 35, is stretchedbetween the arm 26 and a lug 36 near the pivot point of the rocker 32 topress the roller 3| against the tape 24.

The rollers 21 and 3| will keep the unwound tape 24 taut and, should thetape break, the arms 28 and 32 will be moved by their springs 29 and 34into a position in which they will effect the stopping of the machine ina manner not illustrated in detail in the drawing but well understood bythose skilled in the art.

From the roller 3| the tape passes over the resilient surface of arelatively large roller 31. The tacky outside surface of the tape 24, asit lies on roller 31, is engaged by the knives 23 as the cylinder 22rotates. The roller 31 is so mounted on a bracket of the casting a thatit will be rotated counterclockwise (Fig. 3) when a knife 23 engages thetape 24 along'the surface of roller 31. Thus, the tape is pulled off thesupply roll 25.

The knives 23 do not sever the tape 24 when they engage it on theresilient surface of the roller 31 but carry the tape with them as thetape moves off the surface of roller 31, because the tacky side of thetape adheres to the edges of the knife blades. When a knife 23 arriveswith the adhering tape under a short, haresurfaced cylinder 33, which isrotatably mounted in a bracket of the casting, the tape will be severedby being pressed firmly against cylinder 38. The cylinder 38 must belong enough to accommodate any width tape which isl likely to be pressedagainst it. A nut 39 is provided to adjust the positioning of theCylinder 38 with respect to the knives 23.

The cylinder 3\8 is spring mounted so as to insure firm contact betweenthe tape and contacting knife surface. As shown in Fig. 5 sever- .ing ofthe labels is further insured by the fact that the longitudinal axis ofthe cylindrical roller 38 is not parallel with the top edge of any knife23 that happens to engage the tape 24 bearing against the cylinder 38.'I'he cylinder 38 will make only successive point contacts with variouspoints of the knife edge, insuring the severing of the tape that happensto be between the contacting points of the cylinder and the knife. Thus,the severing of the tape along a line, which for all practical purposesmay be considered straight, Will be insured. If the axis of the cylinderwere parallel with the contacting edges of the knives, then when a knife23 was brought into contact with the cylinder 38, the tape throughoutits width would be suddenly engaged between the knife and the cylinder,and this in turn would permit the severing of the tape only if thesurface of cylinder 38 and the bearing edge of the knife 23 wereperfectly parallel throughout and engaged at the same pressure the tapethroughout its width. In practice, it is impossible to attain this sinceeither the cylinder or the knife or the thickness of the tape is subjectto sullicient variations so that portions of the tape would not beengaged at all, or would not be engaged at the same pressure at whichother portions were engaged, whereby the severing of the tape throughoutits complete width would be impossible.

The severed end of the tape 24 extending between two acacent blades 23and adhering to both blades lies between conductor and a grooved roller4U aligned therewith. The labelcutting machine is so geared that as thelabel end is severed, the roller 49 pushes it against the transverselyrunning conductor I, causing it to adhere to its upper surface. Theposition of the label on the conductor immediately after its applicationthereto is shown in Fig. 1a.

The rocking of the roller 40 is timed with the machine through theagency of a. cam 4| (Fig. 2) mounted on one end of shaft and engaging aroller 42 on rocker arm 43 which carries the grooved roller 48.

In order to insure proper adhesion of the label to the conductor theconductor travels beow the roller 40 on a sheave 44 carried by a bracket45 of casting 8. The sheave 44 is also adjustably mounted so as toaccommodate wires l of varying diameters and to insure their rm grippingbetween the sheave 44 and the roller 40. Also, both the sheave 44 andthe roller 40 are adjustable sideways so as to insure that the short endof the label that protrudes from the wire will be of such length as tobe ful`y wiped against the wire by the rst wiper 48 which it engagesduring its further travel.

The roller 40 is arranged to push the label against the' conductor sothat there will be a short and long end transversely projecting from theconductor. These projecting ends are then Curved around the conductor toform the label into a closed sleeve. This is accomplished by fourpressing and wiping units whose structure will now be explained with theaid of Figs. l, 5 and 6.

The conductor I first passes between a sheave 45 and a roller 41 of theilrst applying unit which will press the label against a slightly largersurface of the conductor.

The label is next engaged by spiral wiper 4l which is a metal stripadjusted to such length and so shaped that it will wipe the shorterprojecting end of the label against the conductor I and cause itsadherence thereto (Fig. 1b)

In the second applying unit the conductor passes between a sheave 43 anda roller 50 which guide it into engagement with a second spiral wiper5I, which, as shown in Fig. 1c, engages the other still projecting endof the label and wraps it partly around the conductor I.

The label and conductor are guided to the third spiral wiper 54 by meansof roller 52 and sheave 53. This third applying unit wipes, as shown inFig. ld, the projecting free end of the label completely around theconductor I. The label is formed into a finished sleeve with its endsoverlapping by the fourth spiral wiper 51 to which it is guided bysheave 55 and roller 56, and from there the conductor I is wound on thetake-up drum l.

The general construction of the four wipers is alike. The details of oneare illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. As here shown, sheave 53 is supportedin a vertical position in brackets mounted on table 5. A spring 5l,whose tension may be adjusted by a nut 59, provides a resilient seat forthe sheave 53 whose horizontal position can furthermore be adjusted bymeans of a screw and nut arrangement 66 engaging the nose 6I projectingfrom the pivoted arm 62, the free end of which carries the sheave 53.

The spiral wiper 5I is mounted in a bracket 63 and its position isadjusted by means of vertical bolt 64 and horizontal spring 65 andadjustable nut 66 (Fig. 6). The roller 52 rotates on a shaft 61extending out from a support attached to table 5.

It will thus be seen that the sheaves, rollers and spiral wipers aremovable with respect to one another so that they will readilyaccommodate conductors of diiferent diameters and crosssectional shapes.It will be obvious from a study of the operation and of the drawing thatother than round conductors I, e. g. conductors that are practicallyflat or have some ilgure-eight cross-sectional'shape, would beaccommodated by the rollers, sheaves and wipers through which they pass,without any special adjustment of the machine or repacement of theparts. Also, the wipers are so arranged that the threading of aconductor therethrough can be readily accomplished by prying apart therollers and sheaves, and placing the conductor sideways therebetween.

The labeling machine may be installedl at any suitable assembly lineposition once the conductor has been tested, and it will form thereon,at spaced intervals, labels which encircle the conductor and which,furthermore, are so constructed that they cannot accidentaly be removedin handling the conductor. The labels, being of pliable material, willnot injure the insulation of the conductor.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modificationsand adaptations are possible, without departing from the spirit ofv theinvention. For instance, the head of the machine which serves to severthe individual labels from thespool of web may be combined with amachine for applying the labels to other objects than conductors,whether the label is applied flat against the object or curved aroundthe whole surface or a part thereof.

Also, the spacing between the knives 38 may be changed as well as thegear Il and, thus, the length of label which is severed from the tapecan be varied to meet any particular requirement. In practical machines,two, three or more cylinders 22, complete with knives 23 havingdifferent spacings as well as various sized gears I3. are supplied sothat the machine can be readily changed as far as the length of label isconcerned, to accommodate various diameters of Wire.

What I claim is:

l. In a method of applying to a. longitudinally moving conductor labelshaving a tacky side, the steps of pressing the tacky side of a label tothe conductor with the ends of the label projecting, one longer than theother, folding the shorter end against the conductor in one direction,and then folding the longer end against the conductor in the oppositedirection.

2. In a machine for applying to a conductor pieces of pressure sensitivetape, a roller aligned with the conductor for first sticking a piece oftape between the ends to the conductor, means for moving said piecebetween the roller and conductor, means for successively wiping theprojecting label ends against the conductor comprising solid elementspresenting surfaces in the paths of the projecting ends, and means formovlng the conductor along said surfaces to form the label into a closedsleeve about the conductor.

3. In a machine for labeling conductors, the labels being on a coiledtape having a slick and a tacky side, means to move the conductorlongitudinally through a central opening in the machine, a plurality ofequally spaced knives, means for revolving said knives around saidopening at a speed determined by the speed of movement of saidconductor, a resilient roller mounted adjacent the path of said knives,means including said knives for unwinding the tape with the slicksurface bearing against said roller so that a knife engaging said rollerwill carry the tape of! the roller and sever it when successive portionsof the knife edge make successive point contact as the tape is pressedagainst the hard surface of a resiliently mounted rotatable cylinderwith the tacky side of the severed ends adhering to the two knives, aroller having a groove in alignment with the conductor, the knives beingcarried between the conductor and said roller, a cam for pressing saidroller against the conductor when a severed length of tape is betweenthe roller and conductor, said roller engaging the severed length at apoint intermediate its ends but nearer one end, means for folding in onedirection the shorter protruding end of the tape length against one sideof the conductor, and means for folding in the opposite direction thelonger protruding end of the severed tape length against the other sideof the conductor.

4. A machine according to claim 2 and in which said solid elements are aplurality of spirally shaped wipers positioned adjacent the pathtravelled by the conductor.

5. In a method of applying pieces of pressure sensitive adhesive tapefrom a supply roll to a longitudinally moving conductor, the steps ofsevering a piece of tape, carrying said piece into a position above andsubstantially parallel to the conductor, pressing the tape at a pointbetween its ends to the conductor, and subjecting the tape to aplurality of successive wiping operations to press the free ends oi' thetape around the conductor.

6. In a machine for applying pieces of pressure sensitive tape from asupply roll to a moving object, a plurality of knives for removing thetape from the roll and severing it into pieces, means positioned abovethe object for pressing a piece of tape at a point between its ends ontothe object, and wiper means for pressing the free ends of the tapeagainst the object.

7. The machine according to claim 6 and in which said wiper means arespirally shaped solid elements adjacent the path travelled by theobject.

8. In a. machine for applying pressure sensitive adhesive tape from asupply roll to a conductor, a rst means for-moving the conductor withrespect to the machine and the tape, second means for unwinding the tapeand severing successive lengths therefrom, said conductor passingthrough said second means, means for applying a severed length with itstacky side against the conductor, and means controlled by said rst meansfor operating all the other means by movingthe conductor through saidsecond means.

8 9. In a machine for applying pieces of pressure sensitive adhesivetape from a supply roll to round shaped conductors, a rst means forunwlnding the tape and severing successive lengths therefrom, a secondmeans for pressing a severed length with its tacky side against theconductor at a point between the ends of the length, a third means forwiping a first protruding end of the tape length stuck to the conductoragainst one side of the conductor, and for wiping the other protrudingend of the tape length stuck to the conductor against the said rst end,and a fourth. means controlling the operation of the first, second andthird means by moving the conductor longitudinally with respect to themachine and the tape.

JAMES L. ENTWISTLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number n Name Date 1,547,373 Ermold July 28, 19252,060,193 Gilson Nov. 10, 1936 2,204,219 Jahne et al June 11, 19402,234,017 Bauer Mar, 4, 1941 2,317,576 Avery Apr. 27, 1943 2,346,142Anderson Apr. 11, 1944

